Burke, fired as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs in January, is currently a part-time scout with the Anaheim Ducks, but he has roots in rugby.

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Burke played for Harvard Business School Rugby Football Club while he worked on his law degree.

"I'm really excited," Burke said Tuesday. "I think it's a great sport and I think the future of rugby in Canada is really bright."

Before joining the Leafs, Burke was the GM of the Hartford Whalers, the Vancouver Canucks, and with Anaheim. He won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007.

A dual citizen of the United States and Canada, Burke was also GM for the U.S. Olympic men's hockey team that won the silver medal at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Burke is the director of player personnel for the 2014 Sochi Olympics.